


Rule of Two

by Cruxis



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Adventure, Double Battles, Family, Gen, Wholesome, feels good, positivity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 17:11:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20678939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cruxis/pseuds/Cruxis
Summary: When a teenage boy with a health condition decides that it's time to become a Pokemon trainer, his parents ask his uncle - a multiple time Pokemon League Champion - to accompany him. Their journey across Sinnoh is more than either of them expected.





	Rule of Two

_ "Not everyone goes on a Pokemon journey you know. It's okay to do something else. Anything else. The world is yours, sweetie." _

_ "I know that, mom. But you and dad both went. My friends have pretty much all gone. And what about all those stories you told me about Uncle Aaron?" _

_ "You've never seemed all that interested in leaving home before. Why now? I hope you don't think you need to prove something to someone. " _

_ "Do you ever… feel like you have to do something, but you don't really know why?" _

. . .

Aaron examined the Pokeball in his hand. It was scuffed and beaten, telling a long story about the Pokemon within. He'd heard the story several times in the process of acquiring it. A young trainer had captured it several years ago before losing the ball in some kind of accident. Lost in nature, it eventually found its way into a stream, which carried it into a larger river and eventually to the ocean. It washed up in Sunnyshore City. By the time someone finally found it, the Pokemon inside had become traumatized by its indefinite containment. A rehabilitation center in Jubilife City had taken it in, and that was where it came to Aaron. 

_ "He's still skittish, but very loving. Powerful too, when the mood strikes him. But it'll take the right trainer to click with him."  _

Just the sort of Pokemon his sister had asked him to find. The perfect partner for a compassionate and anxious new trainer.

He pressed the Pokeball's button to shrink it down before clipping it to his belt. It had been a long process to fulfill his sister's request. Partially because it was difficult, and partially because he wanted to be sure that he was making the right choice. He had expected his nephew to start on a Pokemon journey years ago. He liked to think he had an eye for innate talent, and the boy was certainly full of it. When Sarah called him and put the matter in his hands, he had jumped at the opportunity. He knew enough people in the right places to get the job done, and now the time had come.

Aaron usually traveled at a leisurely pace, but he found his pace quickening as he approached Sandgem Town. He came over the final rise and took in the Sinnoh sky, sucking in a deep breath of the cool autumn air. The prospect of a new adventure - even one that wasn't technically his own - made him feel young again, made it seem like he was experiencing the world and its wonders for the first time.

. . .

Riley considered the pile of things in front of him and looked at his backpack once more to see how much space was left inside. 

_ Not enough room for everything. _

He began to sort what remained into "stay" and "go" stacks, every decision making him hesitate. With a heavy heart he put away several thick, annotated books . He wanted to take them along for reference, but it was too impractical. He had memorized most of the information anyway. After that he moved the Pokeballs his father had given him into a more size-appropriate pouch and slid most of his survival gear into their now vacant spot. He smiled and examined his handiwork. Packing was relaxing. He liked fitting the pieces together in the most efficient way. It reminded him of the puzzle games he had played with his mother when he was younger and the tightness came more often.

_ The tightness. The medicine. _

Riley quickly ripped open a pocket on his backpack to confirm that the little white bottle containing his pills was inside. It was. He could never forget something that important. And even if he did, his mother would check another dozen times before he left Sandgem Town. 

Satisfied at last with his preparations, he slung the backpack onto his shoulder and turned to head downstairs. He took one last look at his room, wondering how long it would be before he slept here again, then turned out the lights and left. He took the stairs two at a time even though his father always told him not to. The prospect of going on an adventure had made him more bold in silly ways like that. He had even told Lilly Wallace that he liked her yesterday just to get it off his chest before he left. She had turned him down of course, but he didn't care all that much.

His parents were waiting for him in the kitchen. Riley was relieved to see that they were both smiling, which meant the disagreement about his journey had been cleared up. He knew his father had been reluctant to let him go, and he knew it was because of his anxiety. The matter was settled when Uncle Aaron agreed to go along with him, which made Riley want to burst with excitement. His uncle was a two-time Pokemon League Champion in Sinnoh, and he had completed gym challenged and battled in other Leagues all around the world. Many people even thought he was on the short list to join Sinnoh's Elite Four. He could only imagine what it would be like to travel with such an amazing Pokemon trainer!

Riley was disappointed that his uncle wasn’t waiting downstairs, but he surrendered his bag to his mother for inspection while his father quizzed him on type matchups and afflictions. Even though he took every Pokemon class his school offered, he had learned most of what he knew about the creatures from his father. Although he was an accountant now, Jack Wilson had once been one of Sinnoh’s most prominent young trainers. Riley’s mother had told him countless stories about the adventures they had been on when they were his age, many of which also included uncle Aaron. He especially loved the stories about the Sinnoh League, but she would only tell them when his father wasn’t around. She said the memories were still painful for him.

“And what’s the best thing to do if your Pokemon becomes confused?” Jack asked.

“Put it back in its Pokeball!” 

Jack nodded, “I don’t think I have any questions that can stump you anymore, kid.”

“I have one,” said Riley’s mother. “What does a smart Pokemon trainer do as soon as he reaches a new town?”

Riley scratched his head, “Um, go to the Pokemon Center?”

“And?” she prompted.

“Heal his Pokemon?”

“And call his mother to let her know he’s safe.”

Riley’s father laughed loudly, “He’s going to be fine, Sarah. He’s not leaving home at ten years old like we did. He’s sixteen and has a good head on his shoulders.”

Sarah Wilson bristled a bit, “That doesn’t mean that it’s okay to be careless.” According to the stories, Riley’s father and uncle wouldn’t have survived past Eterna Forest without his mother’s help. Neither of them could cook, clean, or properly care for a Pokemon when they set out. But she didn’t do those things for them, instead she forced them to learn. Although she hadn’t taken on the Pokemon League herself, uncle Aaron had credited much of his success to her support and advice in his first victory interview.

Riley realized that his journey would be much different than theirs. In fact, he had never intended to take one at all. When many of his friends and classmates left years ago, he had no interest in joining them. A large factor was the tightness. He was afraid of being far from home if it got bad again. But there was more to it than that. He didn’t have the same dreams of glory that those other kids had, the same dreams that had driven his father and uncle to take on the Pokemon League. Eventually a nagging feeling began to creep in. He took an interest in studying Pokemon, eventually narrowing his focus on the finer details of Pokemon battling strategy. He began to watch matches on television and online, dissecting every decision the trainers made and studying their tactics. Eventually he decided that the best way to learn more was by doing it himself, and he announced to his parents that he wanted to go on a journey.

A knock on the door caught everyone’s attention, and both of Riley’s parents looked at him expectantly.

“I think it’s for you,” said his father.

. . .

Aaron felt nervous for some reason. Standing on the porch of the familiar house should have been a comforting feeling, like coming home. It probably was the closest thing he had to a real home after all. He travelled continuously through the year, and even though he had a place of his own in Veilstone, he came to this place for holidays and any other time he needed to rest and recover between journeys. He didn’t have time to consider it further. The door opened and his nephew flew through it, wrapping him in a tight hug.

“Uncle Aaron! I’m so excited about our adventure!”

Aaron wrapped his arms around Riley’s wiry frame. “Me too, kid. And I have your first step right here.”

Riley let go and looked up at his uncle with shining eyes. “You mean my first Pokemon, right? What type is it? Can I meet it now?”

“Why don’t you bring the party inside so we can all join in?” Aaron smiled, reccognizing his sister’s voice. She appeared in the doorway behind her son, along with her husband. Jack and Aaron exchanged a cordial nod and instantly looked away from each other. They managed to coexist, but there was still no real love between them all those years later.

Sarah ushered everyone inside and Aaron unclipped the battered Pokeball from his belt, holding it up for everyone to see. “Every trainer needs a Pokemon, and this one is special.” He handed the ball to Riley and quickly summarized the story he had learned from the staff at the rehab center. The boy’s eyes widened, and he cradled the ball delicately in his hands as he listened.

“You’ve been through a lot,” Riley whispered to the Pokeball. “I promise to take good care of you.” He activated the ball and a burst of red light flew out. The light quickly condensed into a small form that settled on the ground and materialized into a blue, birdlike creature. It cocked its head and glanced at each of the humans in turn, finally settling its gaze on the one holding its ball.

“Pip?” it squeaked cautiously.

Riley knelt down and extended his hand to the Pokemon, “You’re a Piplup!” His voice was excited, but gentle. “I’m Riley, and we’re going to be partners from now on! I’m so glad to meet you!”

Piplup leaned forward slowly, smelling the boy’s hand.

“They said he’s still a little nervous, but in time he’s likely to get pretty strong,” said Aaron.

“Let’s do it together!” said Riley.

Piplup, seeming to agree with the sentiment, tentatively nudged his head under Riley’s hand, letting the boy pet him. 

Riley’s father spoke up. “I had a Piplup as my first partner too.”

“Really? That’s so cool! Maybe we’ll be able to do what you did then!

“Only if you want to. There’s more to do on a Pokemon journey than just the gym challenge after all,” Jack explained.

“It’s true,” Aaron agreed. “We can do whatever you want. If you’re interested in getting badges, the gym in Oreburgh would be a good place to start. It’s a rock type gym.”

“Which means Piplup would be really effective there! Sounds like as good a plan as any! And we have to pass through Jubilife City to get there, right?”

Aaron nodded. “There are a few places we should check out while we’re there. And if we get there by tomorrow we can see the announcement in person.”

Riley cocked his head much like Piplup had only moments before. “What announcement?”

“Oh that’s right, the format for this season are being announced tomorrow,” Jack said.

“Do you have any inside information, Aaron?” asked Sarah.

Aaron just smiled and shrugged. “If I told you, I’d have to kill you. Besides, I think it would be way more exciting for us to find out at the opening ceremony, don’t you, Riley?”

His nephew jumped and pumped his fist, “Of course! We better hurry then! Let’s go, Piplup!”

Piplup, who had been cautious until now, seemed to perk up a bit when he sensed Riley’s excitement. He tried his best to mimic the gesture and stumbled.

“You certainly can’t question his spirit,” commented Jack.

Sarah embraced her son. “Be careful, Riley. And please call us when you can.”

Riley squirmed a bit in his mother’s arms, “I will, I promise.”

When Sarah released him, Riley approached his father and shook his hand. “I’m gonna make you proud, dad!” 

Jack pulled his son into a bear hug and whispered just loud enough for everyone to hear. “I’m already proud of you, son. Make yourself proud instead.”

Aaron, who had started to feel like an intruder in the room, opened the front door. “The wide world awaits. Shall we?”

Riley shouted, “Come on, Piplup!” and bounded through the doorway. The Pokemon took off after him as he ran to the end of the driveway. Aaron began to follow, but was stopped by Jack.

“You know what to do if his condition acts up, right?”

Aaron nodded, “Sarah told me everything. He’s going to be alright, I promise.

Jack gave him a long, hard look before extending his hand. Aaron returned the grip as his old rival spoke again. “Take care of my son.”

“I’ll protect him with my life.”

“And take care of yourself, big brother,” Sarah said, shoving her way between them and giving him a hug.

“That one I make no promises about,” laughed Aaron. He made his way to the door and started off after his nephew. He cinched the straps on his pack and double checked the Pokeballs hanging on his belt. 

_ I haven’t felt this way in years! _

“North to Jubilife City!” called Riley as he took off running down the residential street.

“Wait for me, I’m old!” Aaron replied. But he didn’t feel old at all. He felt like he was leaving home for the very first time, and couldn’t wait to see what the world had in store for him.


End file.
